December 17, 2017
"Hungry for Life"
MORE BLESSED SPECIAL OFFERING CONTINUES
ONLY FOUR WEEKS LEFT TO GIVE OR PLEDGE!

As we approach the midpoint of the MORE BLESSED Special Offering campaign and the end of 2017, if you have not done so already, please prayerfully consider how God would have you support this important offering and its four key ministry initiatives.

HOW TO GIVE OR PLEDGE TO THE OFFERING  
Gifts can be made in a number of easy ways, including online, in your offering envelope on Sunday or mailed in during the week, through automatic bank debit, and by in-kind gifts of stocks, bonds, or other property.

Pledges to the MORE BLESSED Special Offering can also be made. This is a way to express your commitment to schedule gifts over a period of time or in anticipation of year-end financial planning. To make a pledge, just write your commitment on your offering envelope and drop it in the offering bucket on Sunday or mail it to the church at your convenience. You can also contact Donna Blankenship, Business Administrator, at [email protected] to make a pledge.

All gifts and pledges must be received by the end of the MORE BLESSED 
campaign on January 14, 2018.

Answers to many FAQs and more details can be found at   vrbc.net/moreblessed . To give to  MORE BLESSED  now, just click below.

CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES
DECEMBER 24 AT 11:00 AM AND 6:00 PM

Join us Christmas Eve Sunday for one of two identical Christmas Eve worship services! This family-oriented service is a favorite every year and includes singing Christmas carols, hearing a special message for kids (and one for the grown-ups too!), and a reading of the Christmas story. The tradition of lighting candles and singing Silent Night  together by candlelight at the end of the service is always one of the highlights of the church year. 

INVITE OPPORTUNITY
The Christmas Eve service is very guest-friendly and is a wonderful time to invite friends and extended family to visit our church. There will be ample seating in the Worship Center for everyone, and childcare will be available for kids pre-K and younger.
CHRISTMAS STORE THANK YOU AND RECAP
MORE HOLIDAY SERVE OPPORTUNITIES

THANK YOU for your willingness to serve God and others at the Christmas Store this past weekend. Through your generosity in serving, we were able to serve 1,605 children from 537 families from South Dallas, Valley Ranch, Coppell, and Lima, Peru with gifts, clothing, and other needed items. More importantly, we were able to pray, give Bibles, and share the good news of Jesus with each guest who came through the Christmas Store! And at the same time, student and adult volunteers lovingly ministered to children from these families at Kids Korner.

One of our values at VRBC is being  hilariously generous , which means that we give freely of ourselves and all God has given us, with great joy. At the Christmas Store, we saw this value in action time and time again. Thank you for being part of it!

If you enjoyed serving this weekend, we hope you will seek out additional opportunities to continue serving God and others in the new year.  We would love for you to mark your calendars now for next year's Christmas Store on December 7 and 8, 2018. But you don't have to wait until next year to serve! Here are a few upcoming opportunities, as well as links with more information:
If you have questions about any of these opportunities or would like help in getting connected with a serving opportunity, please contact VRBC's Serve & Invite Intern, Arthur Mendes, at  [email protected] . 

If you'd like to be  hilariously generous  also by giving financially to the Christmas Store, please know that we hope to completely fund the 2018 Christmas Stores through our church budget and the MORE BLESSED Special Offering. The MORE BLESSED Special Offering funds many ministries in our church, but the largest portion of the special offering will go toward the Christmas Store. Please  CLICK HERE to donate online to the MORE BLESSED Special Offering. 

As we celebrate the birth of our Emmanuel, God With Us, we are thanking God for your help in sharing that gift with others. May God bless you and your family this Christmas.
WINTER WEEKEND 2018
JANUARY 12-14
LAST WEEK TO REGISTER AT REGULAR PRICE*

Hey, what exactly is WW?
Perhaps the most talked-about event of Refuge Student Ministries each year, Winter Weekend is a growth experience with disciple-making as our focus. Whether you have been a Christian for two months or twelve years or are perhaps just beginning to check out what following Christ is all about, Winter Weekend is guaranteed to be a spiritual pillar that God can use to help you meet Him and be changed.
 
What does it cost to attend WW?
November 20-December 17
Regular Registration
$120
December 18-January 1
Late Registration
$140
 
*50% DISCOUNT FOR INVITED FRIENDS AND GUESTS!
WW is always a blast, so to make it even easier for you to invite friends and guests to join you,  we are offering a 50% discount off their registration cost. Contact Julie at [email protected] or Rich at [email protected] for the details!

I'm in! So, how do I register for WW?
CLICK HERE  and scroll down to register! Visit  vrbcrefuge.net/winterweekend  to find out more about WW 2018.
MISSION TRIP APPLICATIONS DUE JANUARY 15

Four exciting mission trips are planned for 2018. Why don't you come along and help support our missions partners as we spread God's love throughout the world. Click the links below for details about each trip including costs, travel plans, and scholarship availability:
  • PERU | July 14-20, 2018
If you have questions or need more information about going on a mission trip, please email Arthur at  [email protected] .